American Zombie

Chapter 1: Just Games?

Vocabulary:
-Five-day: a granted five-day weekend
-DFAC or DEFAC: dining facility
-NCO: Non Commissioned Officer (privates < NCOs < Officers)
-Military Time

Dec. 3, 2026 (2:00 AM)

"On me! On me! Cmon guys... NOLAN YOU WERE RIGHT THERE!"

"I didn't see them."

"You gotta be kidding me!"

No one ever wants to heal me godammit, even when they are standing next to me. Nolan never tries to, on purpose so he could have all his glory, usually, he just hides behind everyone.

"That's what you get for being a dipshit Finley," Nolan murmurs into his microphone to me.

I know you use the controller's mic cheap ass.

"Okay but once in a while people need assistance and I fucking needed assistance!"

"Sorry but I'm not that guy.", he said ignorantly.

He thinks he's so cool.

He's never been a team player, even in real life.

  Everyone laughed and proceeded to the waypoint. I laughed too, I mean it's just a game no one's in actuality dying. I was in my barracks room as I played Modern Warfare with the guys, had 2 finished energy drinks along with hot pockets. We decided to pull an all-nighter and play videogames the entire time, a pretty good way to start this five day, in our opinion.

It was Thursday right before our five-day, which was a gift from our general, also because of the holidays. So glad he gave us a break from the bullshit of this place. You'd think Hawaii is a miraculous place for military personnel, but in reality it's a shit show. The much older sergeants hate that this place is the first duty station of many new, fresh, young soldiers.

"This isn't real Army you know that?", I remember them saying. Yes, I fucking know that! We all know that! Now let us enjoy this place while we have it.

"Dude I'm tired as shit bruh, I might go to sleep.", Vicente said through his microphone.

"Bro, you agreed so you got to stay now, no take backs! Stop being a pussy.", Nolan groaned.

"I'm just tired and I got loads of work to do at the motor-pool and I want to finish it all before our weekend.", Vicente explained.

Alejandro Vicente, he's a mechanic as well as I am, we work together, and I did know that he has so many services he needs to finish alone, so he isn't lying. He's always been the hardworking man who never refuses to help someone else even when he's busy.

"That's true though, he does have work to do.", I started backing Vicente up.

"We understand man, get your sleep and rest well, see you in the morning.", Buchanan said.

Rick Buchanan, a sergeant but he still plays video games with us because not all NCO's are assholes and not all think some rules make sense. There's regulations that say we can't talk or texts our sergeants past 1700(5:00PM), but lots of higher ups say you can't text or call them at all because it's inappropriate. Good NCOs say "fuck that" to those rules. Buchanan isn't one of my sergeants but if he was I'd still give him the respect he deserves, even though he never asks for it.

"Thanks man, at least you're the one with common sense AND gets the struggle." Vicente coughed, referring to Nolan.

"You think I don't get struggles you bitch?", Nolan barked.